Recall Kofi Annan's snap judgment that the Israelis deliberately targeted the UNIFIL outpost in an attack that accidentally killed a few UNIFIL "peacekeepers." His rush to judgment, needless to say, is always against Israel. Annan, who endlessly deliberates over every sentence in his diplomatic diatribes, was wrong.

A Canadian soldier who died in the bombing had explicitly complained that Hezbollah was using its proximity to the UNIFIL post to shield its forces. Under the French leadership of General Alain Pelligrini, UNIFIL refused to respond to the Canadian's warnings. The deaths are his responsibility.

The force comprises 2,000 troops from China, France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Poland, and Ukraine, along with 400 international and local civilians, and is commanded by French major—general Alain Pellegrini, who has a pro—Lebanon record in the Middle East.

Of course he tried to deflect his guilt by blaming Israel and supporting Annan's allegations. Of course this is not the first time UNIFIL tried to cover up the truth regarding its own responsibility in helping Hezbollah in its war with Israel. When Hezbollah used UNIFIL uniforms and a truck with UNIFIL identification to kidnap Israeli soldiers a few years ago, UNIFIL claimed ignorance.

Actually, they had a film of the attack — a film they adamantly denied existed until forced by the Israelis to reveal the truth — and reveal their complicity in the cover—up and their incompetence in letting themselves be used by Hezbollah.

Pelligrini was the former French military attache in Beirut and the head of the mideast division of French military intelligence. Do you think he "went native"? The French military, just like the American military, has a strong interests in keeping the cost of it weapons affordable for their forces. One method to do this is to increase the volume of arms sales. Which nations are the major buyers of French military supplies? The Arab nations. Is it too difficult to believe that the French try to curry favor with Arab nations?

Ed Lasky   7 27 06